An advocate for people with dwarfism said he received a personal apology from the Zac Brown Band following a controversial skit during the band's Sunday concert at Fenway Park.John Young was working at Fenway Park during the concert. He turned his emotion into action after he watched the skit go from comedy to what he called "a tasteless gag" and "very cliche" in a Facebook post."Did they really have to have a person with dwarfism come out and pretend to be security and 'wrestle' someone?" Young wrote on Facebook."It affected me. I saw it happen and I immediately thought of my childhood and kind of some of the things I went to and the laughter and the giggles," Young said in an interview with WCVB."I can't believe this is still happening in 2019," he added. "I think there's a big difference between laughing with people and laughing at people."Young has gained national attention for running marathons and his Facebook post gained more.In a statement, the Little People of America called the band's act "incredibly degrading" and said it "sets people with dwarfism up as objects to be ridiculed reminiscent of the era of circus sideshows."The Zac Brown Band has come under fire for a similar incident before. A 2012 TMZ clip from Sturgis, South Dakota, showed the band using a person with dwarfism as a "human bowling ball," and according to the LPA, the band never apologized for that."There seems to still be this view in society that it's OK to make fun of somebody with dwarfism and it's OK to have them kind of, like, the butt of the joke or the clown or the prop to be used in some kind of skit," Young said.On Wednesday, Young posted on Facebook that he received a phone call and apology from Zac Brown himself. He believes the apology was "heartfelt and sincere.""I'm a teacher. I spent my entire life learning and teaching, and sometimes kids don't get it right away," Young said. "Sometimes it takes two or three lessons, so maybe this will be the lesson."A spokesperson for the Boston Red Sox said the organization spoke with Young about his experience and offered its support.

BOSTON —

An advocate for people with dwarfism said he received a personal apology from the Zac Brown Band following a controversial skit during the band's Sunday concert at Fenway Park.

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John Young was working at Fenway Park during the concert. He turned his emotion into action after he watched the skit go from comedy to what he called "a tasteless gag" and "very cliche" in a Facebook post.

"Did they really have to have a person with dwarfism come out and pretend to be security and 'wrestle' someone?" Young wrote on Facebook.

"It affected me. I saw it happen and I immediately thought of my childhood and kind of some of the things I went to and the laughter and the giggles," Young said in an interview with WCVB.

"I can't believe this is still happening in 2019," he added. "I think there's a big difference between laughing with people and laughing at people."

Young has gained national attention for running marathons and his Facebook post gained more.

In a statement, the Little People of America called the band's act "incredibly degrading" and said it "sets people with dwarfism up as objects to be ridiculed reminiscent of the era of circus sideshows."

The Zac Brown Band has come under fire for a similar incident before. A 2012 TMZ clip from Sturgis, South Dakota, showed the band using a person with dwarfism as a "human bowling ball," and according to the LPA, the band never apologized for that.

"There seems to still be this view in society that it's OK to make fun of somebody with dwarfism and it's OK to have them kind of, like, the butt of the joke or the clown or the prop to be used in some kind of skit," Young said.

On Wednesday, Young posted on Facebook that he received a phone call and apology from Zac Brown himself. He believes the apology was "heartfelt and sincere."

"I'm a teacher. I spent my entire life learning and teaching, and sometimes kids don't get it right away," Young said. "Sometimes it takes two or three lessons, so maybe this will be the lesson."

A spokesperson for the Boston Red Sox said the organization spoke with Young about his experience and offered its support.